ANGRY residents are mounting a campaign to block a £25m plan to create a village between Nantwich and Whitchurch.

The scheme is linked to an attempt to restore crumbling Combermere Abbey, with owner Sarah Callander Beckett willing to sell 14 acres of her estate to raise the necessary £3.6m.

The abbey, first established in 1133, is in a poor state. Mrs Callander Beckett says a special Enabling Scheme, which planning laws allow in order to finance the restoration of historic buildings, is the only feasible way forward.

If the plan goes ahead, 100 homes will be built on part of the estate, with Crosby Homes NW financing the restoration scheme.

But Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council's planning department says it has had 'lots' of letters of opposition to the plan.

Newhall Parish Council held a public meeting to give villagers the chance to air their views before deciding whether to back or oppose the scheme.

Clerk Adrian Lawrence said: 'Everyone was against the plan so we are writing to the borough council passing on those views.

'People put forward five or six reasons why they felt the plan should not go ahead, including road safety fears, strain on existing amenities, lack of benefit to the general community, opposition to such a large scale development in the countryside, fears over future expansion and so on.'

Nigel Husband, who lives in Aston, says building a village would put an intolerable strain on amenities such as schools and surgeries.

He added: 'I moved here nine years ago from the Sunderland area, and I am amazed at the number of houses which have since been built in and around Nantwich and Crewe.

'To start another urbanised sprawl between Nantwich and Whitchurch would be completely wrong.

'I have read about the strain on local schools and doctors' surgeries and the new village would obviously add to those problems.'

'We also have to realise that 100 new homes would bring about 200 additional cars on to an already extremely dangerous A530.'

Another Aston resident, Graham Brown, said nearly everyone he had spoken to was against the plan.

A near neighbour, Richard Smith, said: 'The building has been in the family for 90 years. What has been going on in all those years to allow it to get into such a poor state?'

Michael Verity, from Strutt and Parker, adviser to Mrs Callander Beckett, promised all comments from the public would be given proper consideration.

He said: 'We want to honest and open about the plans and will do everything we can to keep people informed.'

The borough council's development control panel is due to discuss the project in January.